[Summary] "Crazy Leftover Ruling Party Members" Ahn Cheol-soo's Continuous Fierce Attack on 'North Korea, Public Official Killing Incident'

Severe Criticism of Ruling Party Figures Defending Kim Jong-un
"You Who Cover North Korea Are the Choi Soon-sil"
"Blood Boils at Military Excuses"

Ahn Cheol-soo, leader of the People Party, is attending the Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly on the 24th and delivering opening remarks.
Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Su-wan] Amid controversy over the incident in which North Korean soldiers shot and killed a missing South Korean public official near Yeonpyeong Island in the West Sea and then doused the body with oil and burned it, Ahn Cheol-soo, leader of the People’s Party, has been making sharp remarks day after day toward President Moon Jae-in and the ruling party, describing them as "blood boiling in reverse" and "crazy remnants of the ruling party."

On the 28th, at the Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly, Ahn criticized President Moon and the ruling party, who have faced responsibility issues over the shooting of the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries official by North Korean soldiers, saying, "You all who, moved by a single notification, make the president unpresidential and prevent him from fulfilling his duties as president while defending North Korea are all Choi Soon-sil."

Ahn said, "Watching the president, government, and ruling party respond to the heinous incident where our people were shot and burned by North Korean soldiers, the expectations of the people were shattered," and pointed out, "President Moon has discarded the presidential oath to 'uphold the Constitution, protect the nation, and strive to promote the freedom and welfare of the people' like a worn-out rag. This is a clear dereliction of duty."

He further criticized the military’s response to the incident, stating, "Until our people were shot and burned, there was no demand for safe return or even the minimum military protest. This is the image of a broken Republic of Korea military."

He added, "Among them, the most seriously broken place is the Blue House," and pointed out, "Although the situation was urgent enough to hold a ministerial meeting late at night, the report to the president was delayed until after 8 a.m., and at the general promotion ceremony held immediately after the report, the president did not even mention this issue."

Regarding ruling party figures who positively evaluated the North’s notification letter, such as Yoo Si-min, chairman of the Roh Moo-hyun Foundation, who likened North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un to an 'enlightened monarch,' Ahn called them "crazy remnants of the ruling party," and emphasized that "immediate personnel action should be taken against Jeong Se-hyun, senior vice chairman of the Democratic Peaceful Unification Advisory Council, who made outrageous remarks about this being an opportunity to improve inter-Korean relations."

President Moon Jae-in attended the 72nd Armed Forces Day ceremony held at the Army Special Warfare Command in Icheon-si, Gyeonggi-do on the morning of the 25th and delivered a commemorative speech. Photo by Yonhap News

Ahn has been launching fierce attacks on President Moon and the ruling party regarding their response to the shooting death of the missing public official.

On the 25th, through his Facebook, Ahn pointed out, "If the seriousness of the matter was recognized enough to convene an emergency ministerial meeting (NSC) at 1 a.m. on the 23rd, the first thing that should have been done beforehand was to completely halt the UN speech containing the message of the 'end-of-war declaration.'"

He continued, "An enormous incident occurred where a South Korean citizen was killed under the watch of our military, yet the president did not attend the 1 a.m. meeting," and fiercely criticized, "He only received the report at 8:30 a.m. on the 23rd, seven hours later. How is this different from the seven hours of the Sewol ferry incident that he criticized so much?"

He further criticized, "Is it enough to just give a belated order to the military to 'strengthen vigilance to fully protect the lives and safety of the people'?" and asked, "Where and what were the president and the Republic of Korea military doing at the time when our citizens were being shot and horrifically burned?"

On the 24th, Ahn also issued an urgent statement on his Facebook, saying, "North Korean soldiers committed a heinous atrocity by shooting our citizens and even burning the bodies," and added, "Hearing the military official’s excuse that it was difficult to respond actively because the incident occurred near the North’s waters made my blood boil in reverse."

He also raised issues about the military’s response, saying, "Does the Republic of Korea military even have the will to protect its people? Can such a military protect the country?" and criticized, "Who made our military into such a foolish force? It is simply a lamentable matter."

Ahn also raised the issue of President Moon’s responsibility, stating, "What is even more lamentable is that the Blue House was informed and the president must have known, yet he gave a UN speech on the end-of-war declaration. This is outrageous," and criticized, "What feelings does the president have about such North Korean atrocities?"

Earlier, on the 23rd, President Moon appealed to the international community for support of the Korean War end-of-war declaration in his video keynote speech at the 75th UN General Assembly. However, it is pointed out as problematic that he likely received prior reports of the shooting incident involving Mr. A (47) and issued a friendly message.

Ahn urged, "A military that cannot protect its people has no reason to exist, and a government without the will to protect its people has no reason to exist," and called for "a thorough investigation from the beginning to the end of the incident."

He also appealed, "We must strongly protest to North Korea and demand strict punishment of those responsible," and said, "If it were up to me, I would summon all North Korean-related persons to Seoul and punish them in front of our people. That is a proper country, a country worthy of the name."

Kim Jong-un, Chairman of the State Affairs Commission of North Korea. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

Meanwhile, on the 24th, the Ministry of National Defense officially announced that North Korea shot and burned the body of a crew member of a South Korean fisheries guidance vessel found in North Korean waters.

According to the 'Statement on the Missing South Korean Citizen Incident in the West Sea' issued by Ahn Young-ho, Chief of Operations at the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the military received a report from the Coast Guard on the 21st at around 1 p.m. that a crew member of a fisheries guidance vessel belonging to the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries went missing about 1.2 miles (2 km) south of Soyeonpyeong Island in the West Sea. The missing fisheries guidance official, Mr. A, was performing fisheries guidance duties.

After receiving the report, the military and Coast Guard deployed about 20 rescue units, including Coast Guard and Navy ships, Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries vessels, and aircraft, starting at 1:50 p.m. on the same day, but failed to find the missing person. According to authorities, it is presumed that North Korea shot and burned Mr. A’s body found in North Korean waters.

In response, Chairman Kim Jong-un conveyed his deep apologies to the southern compatriots through a North Korean notification letter sent to the Blue House. According to the Blue House, on the 25th, the North stated, "Comrade Kim Jong-un is deeply sorry to President Moon and the southern compatriots for causing disappointment due to an unexpected unfortunate incident that occurred in our waters, especially when the southern compatriots are already burdened with the malignant virus (COVID-19)."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.